Mixed vegetable and bean caponata

Vegetarian mains

Mixed vegetable and bean caponata

MainServes 8
2h
Sicily has always been the melting pot of Mediterranean cuisine. Given their history
of invading hordes from all corners of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East,
things must have been fairly fluid so it doesn't seem that blasphemous to take a
Sicilian classic and change it a bit.

Method

Prep time:
1h

PT1H

Cooking time:
1h

PT1H

Step 1

Dice and salt the aubergine and courgette. Leave for an hour, drain, rinse and dry.

Step 2

In a large pan on a low-medium heat, soften the onion in olive oil. Add the garlic, tomatoes and sugar and slowly cook until the mixture has started to darken. Cool a little and add the vinegar. Check the taste – it should be mildly sweet and sour – more agrodolce than Chinese.

Step 3

Preheat oven to 220°C/Gas Mark 7, toss the aubergines in olive oil and roast until cooked. Do the same with courgette and red peppers. Cool the peppers in a plastic bag and peel off the skin. Chop the peppers and courgette into 1.5cm dice and the aubergine into 2.5cm dice.

Step 4

Gently fold all the ingredients into the sauce including the celery, fennel, cauliflower, beans and parsley and warm gently. Serve lukewarm with the beef.

Step 5

A proper Sicilian caponata will usually include anchovies and capers but as an accompaniment for beef it really doesn't need it. Because of the sweet and sour element, caponata will keep well in the fridge for at least a week.